Such is the reputation of rich youths nowadays that the moment one of them says, "my father is so-and-so", the incident becomes news. Ma Wenchong, a 20-year-old man driving a Mercedes-Benz, injured an 18-month-old girl while quarreling with her mother and even ran over a man who tried to stop him. The youth reportedly shouted, "my father is the mayor", though later he denied saying so. Why do the rich and privileged continue to bully the underprivileged, asks an article in Yangtze Evening Post. Excerpts:

Ma Wenchong's father is a businessman, not a mayor. But it's shocking to see so many rich youths claim their fathers are high-ranking officials when they commit a mistake or crime.

Such claims, genuine or otherwise, have infuriated the public, and police should not let wrongdoers go scot-free even if their fathers or mothers are high-ranking officials.

Surprisingly, in Ma Wenchong's case, police took about four hours to subject him to an ethanol test despite witness' repeated appeals. Such incidents should not happen even if a suspect is the son of a mayor.

Police are lenient with the sons of rich and powerful parents for political reasons, because they don't know the consequences of starting legal proceedings against them. They should, however, realize that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law and the guilty need to be punished irrespective of their lineage and social and economic status.

(China Daily 09/27/2011 page9)